Rocket Ranger

For other units also named Ranger, see Ranger.

Rocket Ranger
Rocket Rangers standing guard
Minor Faction	Republic of Vietnam Ranger Forces
Other Faction(s)	None
Unit Type	Infantry
Designation	Anti Tank/Anti Vehicle
Production Building	ARVN Command Tent
Secondary Ability	Swap Grenade Launcher/Rocket Launcher File:AbilityRocketRanger.pngFile:AbilityRocketRanger2.png Uses anti-light vehicle grenade launcher/Uses anti-tank rocket launcher
Cost	$250
Production Time	0:05
Heroic Upgrade	MM-2 grenade launcher and Javelin • Doubles Rate of Fire
Dev. Status	In game

Country of Origin	South Vietnam
Trained at	Ranger-Biêt Dông Training Centre, Saigon
Key Features	» PF60 "LAW" Disposable Rocket Launcher  » M79 "Blooper" Grenade Launcher  » Ballistic body armour vest  » Flashlight (batteries not included)  » Used FM radio

Tactical Analysis

• Well Rounded: Rocket Rangers are excellent support infantry, utilizing both anti-tank and anti-vehicle weapons.

• I Fought the Law...: The LAW, or Light Anti-Tank Weapon, is a high-powered disposable anti-tank weapon. Though it cannot hit aircraft, the rocket hits tanks very hard.

• Speed is no Obstacle: The Rocket Ranger also packs a M79 grenade launcher, which is more useful against light vehicles.

• Groundpounder: While most Rocket Rangers are comfortable with their existing equipment, some have gone for newer equipment, namely the Javelin missile launcher and MM-2 grenade launcher, both of which boast higher rates of fire. The MM-2 is simple enough, though the Javelin's complexity means that most Rocket Rangers have no idea how to use the anti air or spectrum targeting features.

Operational History

While World War III raged on elsewhere, the embattled South Vietnamese forces often found themselves facing massive onslaughts of NVA tanks. As armoured support was not always available for ARVN defenders, the need for an anti tank weapon in the hands of the infantryman was paramount, as position after position continued to be overrun by NVA armour.

In response, the ARVN began to issue a cheap, disposable anti-tank weapon, the LAW anti-tank rocket launcher. A collapsible, one-shot weapon with considerable power, it was originally developed and employed by mechanised units in Europe. The ARVN, looking for an effective anti tank weapon they could issue in bulk, quickly snapped LAWs when Allied units started switching to the Javelin. The LAW proved to fit the ARVN's requirements. As each launcher cost less than US$300 each, they could be issued en masse, while still managing to pack a powerful punch. Most specialists continue to use the LAW to this day, although a few have opted for more modern equipment such as the Javelin.

Due to the low cost, it is not uncommon for several members of a squad to carry these weapons, though actually firing them is deferred to specialists. In the case of the ARVN Rangers, these specialists are known as Rocket Rangers, soldiers who are experienced in the LAW's use. In addition to serving as the anti tank specialists of a Ranger squad, Rocket Rangers are also the ones who carry the squad's M79 "Blooper" grenade launcher, a break-open 40mm launcher capable of launching a variety of rounds. Their favourite is the M7X1 HE grenades, perfect against vehicles too fast to hit with the LAW.

Just the Stats

Rocket Ranger
Infantry
Cost	300
Build Time	0:05
Health	100
Speed	50
Armour Type	Infantry

M79 Grenade Launcher
Splash(30)
Autocannon
Range	180
RPS	1/2
Damage	20
Suppression	10
DPS	10

PF60 Rocket Launcher
Dumb-Fire
Cannon
Range	200
RPS	1/3
Damage	40
Suppression	5
DPS	13.3

Experience Levels
Default Kill Reward	150
Veteran	600
Kill Reward	300
Elite	1200
Kill Reward	600
Heroic	2400
Kill Reward	1200